About this dish
A vivid yellow palm-nut soup served over pounded cocoyam, eaten by hand.
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History & Origin
A ceremonial dish of the Grassfields people of Cameroon, achu is traditionally shared from a communal bowl, with the yellow soup colored by camwood and palm oil.
Ingredients
🥩Goat meat or beef, 1kg cut into chunks
🌴Palm nut concentrate (achu palm oil/yellow palm oil), 400ml
🫚Limestone water (calabash chalk dissolved in water), 3 tablespoons
🌿Country onions (njangsa/African wild mango seeds), 2 tablespoons ground
🧅White onion, 1 medium finely chopped
🌶️Hot pepper (fresh or ground), 1 teaspoon or to taste
🧂Salt and seasoning cubes, to taste
🫙Dried crayfish, 2 tablespoons ground
🌱Cocoyam (taro), 1.5kg peeled and cut into chunks
🧂Salt, to taste
Method
Serves 21
Season the meat with salt, onion, pepper, and a seasoning cube, then boil in a pot with just enough water to cover until the meat is tender, about 45–60 minutes. Reserve all the cooking stock — this is the base of your soup.2
While the meat cooks, boil the peeled cocoyam chunks in salted water until completely soft and a fork slides through easily, about 30–40 minutes. Drain, then pound in a mortar until smooth and stretchy with no lumps. Shape into round balls and set aside.3
In a separate heavy-bottomed pot, pour in the yellow palm nut concentrate and place over medium heat. Stir in the limestone water gradually — this is the key step that turns the soup vivid yellow and gives it its signature silky texture. Keep stirring as it heats.4
Add the reserved meat stock ladle by ladle, stirring continuously to emulsify the soup. Add the ground njangsa, crayfish, and extra pepper. The soup should remain bright yellow — do not let it boil vigorously or it will break.5
Add the cooked meat pieces into the soup and simmer gently on low heat for 10–15 minutes, tasting and adjusting salt and pepper. The consistency should be smooth and slightly thick, coating the back of a spoon.6
Serve the achu soup in a deep bowl with the pounded cocoyam balls on the side. Traditionally eaten by hand — pinch off a piece of cocoyam, make a dent with your thumb, and use it to scoop up the soup.User Reviews
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